


Before the Welcoming

by ilyena_sylph, Merfilly



Series: Hatching a Future [2]
Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: HP: EWE, Not Epilogue Compliant, Rebuilding Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 11:44:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4786142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyena_sylph/pseuds/ilyena_sylph, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few days before the start of term, Minerva McGonagall tries to write her first Welcoming Speech, and thinks about some of the changes this year will bring.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before the Welcoming

_How am I to do this?_ , Minerva McGonagall asked herself, not for the first time, her hand wrapped lightly around a simple quill. 

How could she -- could anyone, really, for she flattered herself that she was as good a choice for Hogwarts Headmistress as any that could have been named, better than several others -- possibly choose words that would welcome each student, that would both speak to the grief of the second through seventh-years and comfort and reassure their new first-years? How did she speak honestly of the still-shattered walls and classrooms, the destroyed portions of the school, and still give hope?

How -- 

_By getting a bloody grip on yourself, old woman,_ she told herself, as silently as she had asked the question, and she looked back down at her faintly-marked parchment. "No," she said aloud, "you're not Albus Dumbledore -- and that is likely a _good_ thing!"

She breathed a soft sigh and began to write. 'Welcome, all of you, to a new year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We are all very glad to have each of you here, and almost as glad to _be_ here in a free Hogwarts again. 

'I am glad to see all of our new first-years, and so pleased to see each of you who chose to return.' Pause there, meet the eyes of each table, she told herself, and skipped down on the parchment. 

'There are many ways that this year may be a difficult one. There are classrooms and staircases still missing, familiar suits of armor and statuary no longer present to mark your paths, and for you upper years -- and for several of your teachers -- there are too many empty seats where your yearmates are not. 

'All of your teachers understand that, and will try to help you, or see that you find help, in those moments it is... overwhelming. I would like to introduce the newest members of our staff to all of you. From our own St. Mungos, Oharan Comfrey; from the Sarah Good Healing Institute, Sharra Force; and from L'Hôpital Urbain Grandier, Manora Macmillan; who will be joining our Madame Pomfrey in and around the Hospital Wing. They have joined us to provide listening ears and any assistance they can, to all of you. Please visit them as often as any of you need.' 

Pause again there, applaud them and wait for the hubbub to die down... yes. Adding three new members to the staff (all people who had not been there for this latest war, but knew conflict) for those reasons had been Robinton Stein's -- rather emphatic -- suggestion, and after some quick research of her own, she had agreed. Poppy was going to be overwhelmed, if all of the students who had been caught in the battle were wounded again by returning to Hogwarts. 

They had managed to get rid of most of the bloodstains from the corridors and flagstones, but when she herself had bad moments seeing where her friends had been slain, how much worse would it be for the children? 

Bless Robinton and his travels, the concepts he'd brought home with him. Anything and everything that could help their children, she would take, and gladly. Including all of their new staff. Right, back to the speech. 

'Which brings us to the matter of other newly-hired faculty. This year we have several, and I am very pleased to welcome them all. The new Head of Gryffindor House, who will also be taking over History of Magic, Professor Cingan Harper -- my dear lions, _do not_ make his life more difficult than it already will be. 

'The new Head of Slytherin House -- as Professor Slughorn has gone into his second retirement; who has graciously agreed to step into the sizable void he leaves behind, Professor Narcissa Malfoy.' _Narcissa Malfoy_ , Head of a Hogwarts House, and Potions professor to boot! 

She'd barely been able to stomach the thought when Robinton had first broached it, but the more she'd considered his words, looked at the idea without the lens of 'what would Albus think?' occluding it, the more sense it had made. Narcissa had never been a Death Eater, though her husband and son both bore the Dark Mark. She had protected Harry, in the awful hours of that battle, and had cooperated as much as anyone could in the aftermath. 

Narcissa was, just barely, un-tainted enough by Voldemort's reign to be an acceptable Head for Slytherin to the Board of Governors, while being steeped in enough House pride (and Blood pride, though she'd sworn to keep that off her mouth while on the Hogwarts grounds) to make her reassuring to the Slytherin student body (and to their parents). Minerva loathed politics, but it had been a brilliant idea tossed sparkling into her hindered flailing.

'For Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Robinton Stein joins us after several years of travel on most of the continents. For Muggle Studies, on leave from the Ministry of Magic, Professor Arthur Weasley. And, last but certainly not least in my estimation, Professor Larad Telgar will be teaching Transfiguration.' 

Arthur as a teacher. Her free hand raked through her hair without her intent. Well, at least Hermione had been helping renovate the curriculum and would be there to assist him, and Kingsley had had a hand in that as well. Between everything else he was doing as their new Minister, he'd shown a surprising amount of interest in making the school a stronger, safer place for every student.

Wait there, at the end of the list, let the applause -- and assorted yelling -- die down, and then finish. 'Thank you all for helping me give them such a warm welcome... and now without further ado from me, let us begin the most excellent feast prepared for us by our hard-working castle elves.' 

There. That should do it... unless she thought of something she'd forgotten between now and three days hence, when the Hogwarts Express arrived.

* * *


End file.
